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When I was asked my thoughts about a YouTube video spoof of President Barack Obama rapping the song "Hard in Da Paint," by Atlanta-based rapper Waka Flocka Flame, I didn't quite know what to say. Knowing what I know about Waka Flocka Flame, I figured that the spoof would be a reflection of the kind of ignorance that seems to breed itself in modern day hip-hop. I also expected that the video might consist of insulting depictions of President Obama in an environment that involved weed, liquor, half-naked women and maybe a gun or two. For some reason, there are people who seem to think that this represents everything about being black in America.
After seeing the spoof, I can only say that I was right. The video throws together a bunch of twisted lyrics being recited by an Obama look-alike who keeps telling us that he's "the head of state n*gga." The lyrics aren't exactly creative and the video is short of inspirational to anyone. Unfortunately, it has gotten tens of thousands of views on YouTube, which means that somebody out there likes it.
I'm a huge fan of hip-hop, and I even listen to some music that I probably shouldn't. I'm not sure why there are so many of us in the black community, though, who wish to keep nothing sacred and insist on taking every great black male achievement and reducing it to a bucket of stereotypes. Of course, there are spoofs of white public figures, and those spoofs are funny as well, but there's something a bit disturbing about this video.
I'm sure President Obama hasn't paid any attention to the video, as he shouldn't. As for the rest of us, I'm not sure what's accomplished by creating this spoof. It's one thing to make a skit that's a bit silly, and yet another to make a spoof that reminds black people of all the dirty habits that keep us psychologically enslaved. In a world where black men are several times more likely to go to prison, drop out of high school and end up unemployed, I can't laugh at the fact that we are so quick to celebrate our own self-destruction.
We can do better than that.
Watch the foolishness here:
Dr. Boyce Watkins is the founder of the Your Black World Coalition and a Scholarship in Action Resident of the Institute for Black Public Policy. To have Dr. Boyce commentary delivered to your email, please click here. 
Comments: (35)
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By: Sapoo gimm on 10/27/2010 1:37AM
it's interested video there so I like this articles and more different types news here so I like this very much..
http://ookisareviews.org/
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By: MXL on 10/27/2010 9:23AM
I don't think it's that serious. It's just a stupid video meant to be funny. Thinking it's not funny is one thing, but there's absolutely nothing "disturbing" about this video.
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By: vdog on 10/27/2010 9:48AM
That's THE PROBLEM. We are in a STATE OF CRISIS in the BLACK COMMUNITY because we are ALWAYS HAVING FUN while we have all these IGNORANT FOLKS like this dude running around MESSING OUR IMAGE UP.
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By: Mimi on 10/28/2010 4:59PM
I BELIEVE THE REPUBLICANS ARE BEHIND THIS. THESE IGNORANT HOODRATS DON'T EVEN KNOW THERE IS AN ELECTION ON NOVEMBER 2ND.
THE REPUBLICANS MOST LIKELY PAID AN UNCLE TOM BLACK BIG BUCKS TO DO THIS VIDEO AND ALSO PAID EVERYBODY IN THE VIDEO ENOUGH MONEY TO LOOK AND TALK AS IGNORANT AS POSSIBLE.
THESE FOOLS ARE NOT GOING TO QUESTION WHERE THE MONEY IS COMING FROM TO PRODUCE THE VIDEO, RENT THE LIMO, HIRE THE TWO WHITE SECRET SERVICE MEN ETC.
ALL THEY KNEW IS THEY WERE BEING PAID TO ACT AS IGNORANT AND AS DISRESPECTFUL AS POSSIBLE.
AND THEY SUCCEEDED IN DOING JUST THAT.
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By: Rayman727 on 10/27/2010 10:29AM
I think the video was an attempt to be funny, but we should take things like the presidency more serious. I think the vid was kinda disrespectful and represents the strereo type of what white people think we as blacks act like. I'm black, and I listen to hip hop, I think waka floka is the worst thing to hit hip hop since Soulja boy, and to put such an accomplished man like Barak's name in a parody with ignorant illiterate woka floka's name is a disgrace.
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By: soulsister on 10/28/2010 10:45AM
THANK YOU!!!!!!!!
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By: ralph on 12/17/2010 8:50AM
I'm 37 years old, and from an old school point of view, I think the video is funny as hell. If you keep up with politics, then you understand what he's making fun of, but if you don't then it won't be funny to you. Kinda like Saturday Night Live. This video won't influence any negativity amongst our youth, and you can see for yourself by playing it in front of them.
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By: madhatter on 10/27/2010 11:16AM
Sad to see and hear that we some of us just don't get it. The video is direspectful and represents the worse in our community. I agree Boyce, we can do a lot better.
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By: leart on 10/27/2010 6:26PM
That Video Doesn't deserve a comment, but then again this is one indication why we are consdered our own worse enemy.
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By: James Gadson on 10/27/2010 12:15PM
We aren't are own worst enemy.Our worst enemy remains the white supremacy U.S. population. Our enemies remain the overly white police departments, court systems, corporate structure, military leadership,CIA, FBI, in total we have always been attacked ever since our ancestors were stolen from African, murdered, raped,beaten, separated,taught Christianity,enslaved, turned against each other and used as guinea pigs to say a few things.
Now we are told to blame each other just as the whites are told to blame us, just as the the media is programmed to disrespect us and show us to the world in a highly negative light.
We have been denied so much for so long that we have forgotten who the real culprits are and many of us don't realize what it takes to recover from such abuse here and and in the entire diaspora.
Blame the victims and or be taught to forgive and forget, it doesn't matter because in the long run we as a people will still suffer the wrath of an elite white supremacist society.
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